WASHINGTON, May 7 -- The Government Accountability Office has issued a report (GAO-20-386) is entitled "Foreign Military Sales: DOD Should Further Strengthen Financial Oversight of Transportation Fees". The report was sent to Sen. James M. Inhofe, R-Oklahoma, chairman, Sen. Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island, ranking member of the Senate Committee, Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, chairman, Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Richard C. Shelby, R-  more

WASHINGTON, May 6 -- Rep. David Cicilline, D-Rhode Island, issued the following news release on May 5: U.S. Congressman David N. Cicilline (RI-01) wrote to Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission (PUC) Chairperson Margaret Curran asking that the PUC extend a moratorium on utility terminations that is slated to expire tomorrow. "I would like to take this opportunity express my support for the PUC extending this moratorium, which would provide much needed assistance to low- and middle-income fa  more

WASHINGTON, May 7 -- Rep. David Cicilline, D-Rhode Island, issued the following after called on the Public Utilities Commission to extend their moratorium on utility terminations: "Rhode Islanders shouldn't have to worry about losing utility service in the middle of a pandemic. "I am pleased that utility terminations are being suspended through the end of the month. "This is the right thing to do."  more

WASHINGTON, May 5 -- Rep. David Cicilline, D-Rhode Island, issued the following statement after McGraw-Hill and Cengage decided not to move forward with their planned merger: "As I warned two months ago, this merger would have created a single company that controlled more than 40% of the college textbook market. "We've seen that movie before - such an entity would eliminate jobs and drive up costs for college kids who are already taking on enormous amounts of student loan debt. The merger made  more

WASHINGTON, May 6 -- Rep. David Cicilline, D-Rhode Island, issued the following news release: Antitrust Subcommittee Chairman David N. Cicilline (RI-01) is leading House lawmakers in urging that the next COVID-19 relief package include language prohibiting corporate mergers that do not involve the purchase of a severely distressed company. "Powerful corporations and private equity firms are standing ready to exploit this crisis for unfair financial gain. We know that market consolidation produ  more

WASHINGTON, May 7 -- Rep. David Cicilline, D-Rhode Island, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, along with Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline, announced that Thrive Behavioral Health, Inc. and Newport Mental Health have been awarded $8 million in federal grant funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) Center for Mental Health Services. All four members of Rhode Island's Congressional Delegation a  more

PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island, May 9 -- Rep. David Cicilline, D-Rhode Island, issued the following news release on May 8: Due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, more Rhode Islanders than ever are in need of emergency and supplemental food. At the same time, Rhode Island farmers and food sector businesses are facing widespread market and supply chain disruption. In an effort to assist Rhode Island's families, farmers, and food businesses, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and  more

WASHINGTON, May 7 -- Rep. Jim Langevin, D-Rhode Island, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, along with Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline, announced that Thrive Behavioral Health, Inc. and Newport Mental Health have been awarded $8 million in federal grant funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) Center for Mental Health Services. All four members of Rhode Island's Congressional Delegation advo  more

PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island, May 9 -- Sen. Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island, issued the following news release: Citing the need for rapid, routine, accurate, and ongoing testing, U.S. Senator Jack Reed announced that Rhode Island will receive an additional injection of $3,658,712 in federal funds to help community health centers expand novel coronavirus (COVID-19) testing throughout Rhode Island. Health centers around the state may use this funding to expand the range of testing and testing-related activ  more

PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island, May 9 -- Sen. Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island, issued the following news release on May 8: In an effort to help communities combat the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in Rhode Island, U.S. Senator Jack Reed, the Ranking Member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD), announced a new infusion of $4,682,119 through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program. This second tranche of CDBG funding brings the state'  more

PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island, May 9 -- Sen. Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island, issued the following news release: In an effort to help Rhode Islanders pay their utility bills during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, U.S. Senator Jack Reed announced $5,876,445 for Rhode Island through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) that was included as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. This brings the state's total LIHEAP funding to $29.9 million for fisc  more

WASHINGTON, May 6 -- Sen. Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island, issued the following news release on May 5: America can't afford a housing and homelessness crisis on top of a pandemic. A temporary freeze on evictions and foreclosures is a needed short-term step, but Americans need a long-term solution. With the potential for a massive wave of evictions and foreclosures on the horizon, along with a possible second wave of novel coronavirus (COVID-19), U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) is calling on Congress t  more

WASHINGTON, May 9 -- Sen. Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), who led efforts to create the $150 billion Coronavirus Relief Fund in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (Public Law No. 116-136) unveiled new legislation to ensure states, cities, and towns have the funding and flexibility they need to save lives and help communities survive the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The $150 billion Coronavirus Re  more

WASHINGTON, May 7 -- Sen. Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island, issued the following remarks on May 6: I also want to thank the witnesses for appearing. This is a critical issue for the Defense Department and our nation and it is important that we hear from today's witnesses. We are holding this hearing in unusual circumstances. There has been a great deal of discussion about whether we should be here in person, with risks not only to senators, but to all the support personnel who are needed to keep this  more

WASHINGTON, May 7 -- Sen. Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island, issued the following statement: * * * With a key court filing deadline looming, U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr reportedly made the case to top Trump officials this week urging them to abandon a partisan lawsuit aimed at getting the U.S. Supreme Court to invalidate the Affordable Care Act (ACA). "This Trump backed lawsuit is a disaster that would harm public health in the midst of a pandemic. Even the Attorney General realizes how toxic and  more

WASHINGTON, May 7 -- Sen. Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, along with Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline, announced that Thrive Behavioral Health, Inc. and Newport Mental Health have been awarded $8 million in federal grant funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) Center for Mental Health Services. All four members of Rhode Island's Congressional Delegation advocat  more

PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island, May 9 -- Sen. Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island, issued the following news release on May 8: Due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, more Rhode Islanders than ever are in need of emergency and supplemental food. At the same time, Rhode Island farmers and food sector businesses are facing widespread market and supply chain disruption. In an effort to assist Rhode Island's families, farmers, and food businesses, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and U.S.   more

WASHINGTON, May 3 -- Sen. Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island, issued the following news release: The U.S. Senate plans to reconvene tomorrow, despite the fact that the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) testing capacity at the U.S. Capitol is inadequate. As the United States faces a severe national shortage of COVID-19 test kits and lab resources, the Trump Administration yesterday offered to send the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate 1,000 Abbott coronavirus test kits. However, House Speaker Nancy P  more

WASHINGTON, May 7 -- Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-Rhode Island, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, along with Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline, announced that Thrive Behavioral Health, Inc. and Newport Mental Health have been awarded $8 million in federal grant funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) Center for Mental Health Services. All four members of Rhode Island's Congressional Delegatio  more

PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island, May 9 -- Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-Rhode Island, issued the following news release on May 8: Due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, more Rhode Islanders than ever are in need of emergency and supplemental food. At the same time, Rhode Island farmers and food sector businesses are facing widespread market and supply chain disruption. In an effort to assist Rhode Island's families, farmers, and food businesses, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse   more

WASHINGTON, May 8 -- Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-Rhode Island, issued the following news release on May 7: Congressman Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) and Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) announced new support for their bill to unwind a Republican giveaway to millionaires slipped into vital coronavirus relief legislation. As Whitehouse formally introduced the bill in the Senate today, a majority of the Senate Democratic Caucus have cosponsored the legislation, while 52 members ha  more

WASHINGTON, May 7 -- Sen. Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island, issued the following news release: The motorcoach industry has been significantly impacted by COVID-19 and is currently at a virtual standstill. To assist this critical transportation sector, U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Jack Reed (D-RI), the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee, sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, urging the department to provide specific technical assistance  more

WASHINGTON, May 8 -- Sen. Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island, issued the following news release: The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has taken a huge bite out of the fishing industry, with fisherman seeing a slump in demand from restaurants and a shutdown of export markets, leaving many fishing vessels tied up at the docks during prime fishing months. Meanwhile, harbor costs and equipment rental bills are still piling up and it can cost some boats more in fuel alone than they can make selling thei  more

WASHINGTON, May 8 -- Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-Rhode Island, issued the following news release: The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has taken a huge bite out of the fishing industry, with fisherman seeing a slump in demand from restaurants and a shutdown of export markets, leaving many fishing vessels tied up at the docks during prime fishing months. Meanwhile, harbor costs and equipment rental bills are still piling up and it can cost some boats more in fuel alone than they can make sel  more

WASHINGTON, May 7 -- Sen. Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island, issued the following news release on May 6: U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) are teaming up with U.S. Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and 12 Senators in urging the U.S. Department of Justice's (DOJ) Civil Rights Division to take concrete steps to address the surge in discrimination and hate crimes against Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) individuals. The Senators called for the U.S.  more

WASHINGTON, May 7 -- Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-Rhode Island, issued the following news release on May 6: U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) are teaming up with U.S. Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and 12 Senators in urging the U.S. Department of Justice's (DOJ) Civil Rights Division to take concrete steps to address the surge in discrimination and hate crimes against Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) individuals. The Senators called for  more

WASHINGTON, May 6 -- Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-Rhode Island, issued the following news release: After President Trump issued an order to keep meatpacking plants open and help plant owners at the expense of workers who are charged with keeping our food supply safe, U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) are calling on the Trump Administration to modify the order to prioritize worker health and safety and help prevent further outbreaks of novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The   more

WASHINGTON, May 6 -- Sen. Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island, issued the following news release: After President Trump issued an order to keep meatpacking plants open and help plant owners at the expense of workers who are charged with keeping our food supply safe, U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) are calling on the Trump Administration to modify the order to prioritize worker health and safety and help prevent further outbreaks of novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The Senators   more

WASHINGTON, May 9 -- Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-Rhode Island, issued the following news release on May 8: After the Department of Justice dropped charges against former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) wrote Department of Justice (DOJ) Inspector General (IG) Michael Horowitz calling for an independent inquiry into the unprecedented decision and "the Department's pattern of politicized decision making." Whitehouse and   more